Previously on How I Met Your Mother…
What do you do after the Queen Mother of Hapes propositions you?
Throw a house party!
Season 1
Interlude 1, Part 2
Your lips come as some surprise,
That they would want to come and meet mine,
They never taste like the last time,
Your lips come as some surprise!
I was always a special child,
Circuit boards for my insides.
All I dreamed of was flying high,
So your lips came as some surprise.
Your lips come as some surprise,
That they would want to come and meet mine,
They never taste like the last time,
Your lips come as some surprise!
I was never one of the boys
Throwing shapes and power ploys.
In your arms warmth I did find,
In your seat I did decline.
Your lips come as some surprise,
That they would want to come and meet mine,
They never taste like the last time,
Your lips come as some surprise!
Now that we've sat for a while
You've shown me yours and I've shown you mine
Even after all this time
Your lips come as some surprise.
Your lips come as some surprise,
That they would want to come and meet mine,
They never taste like the last time,
Your lips come as some surprise.
Some Surprise/Paul Noonan
The Queen's Private Chambers, Fountain Palace, Hapes
ABY 24
Six weeks after the Corellia Beach House Weekend
Tenel Ka walked into her private sitting room and began to remove her tiara. She was thinking of Cem Fel again and wished that she had not had to cancel their plans because of the meeting that had only just ended. He would be leaving soon, when Jacen returned from the emergency mission that had called him away, and she did not know when she might ever see Cem again.
"You seem a light-year away. Hard day at the office?"
She turned in surprise, taken aback by her own lack of awareness. Those feelings were quickly replaced by joy at the sight of the handsome man sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace.
"You startled me."
"I'm sorry," Cem said. "I assumed that was impossible to do to a Jedi."
Tenel Ka smiled. "I was deep in thought."
"Hapan politics got you down, Teeka?"
The name had started as a provocation during a sparring match. Cem had been told of her preference for proper names, but for some reason, not only did it not bother her when he called her Teeka, she realized that she actually liked it and somehow felt cheated when he didn't use it to address her.
"For once, I was not thinking about work." She wasn't about to tell him that what had really held her mind hostage when she was supposed to have been focusing on the trade negotiations between Selab and Arabanth was the way she felt when she was with him. "Forgive me for not being able to join you for dinner?"
"Don't worry, I managed to keep myself entertained. I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to make myself at home and wait for you."
Approaching the sofa Tenel Ka said, "On the contrary, I'm actually pleased that you stayed. It's nice to see a friendly face."
"I was going to save your meal, but your handmaiden said you ate with the council."
"I did, though we do not drink during meetings and I could use one."
Cem held a glass out to her. "I assumed. Forgive me for starting without you?"
She felt her lips quirk into a smile. "I see that once again I will have to work to catch up to you."
3 hours and 2 bottles of wine later...
Tenel Ka threw her head back and laughed.
Cem had been telling her stories of his childhood on Nirauan and Csilla and had just finished a particularly funny tale about Jag learning to fly.
"It's probably better you didn't know this before you asked my brother to command your fleet against the Yuuzhan Vong. I can't imagine it would have filled you full of confidence."
She had initially been apprehensive when, while the three had been prepping for a hiking trip, Jacen had been called away on emergency Jedi business. He instantly suggested that he leave Cem with her and that they start the trek without him, but what in the stars was Tenel Ka going to do alone on Gallinorian hiking trail with Cem Fel? Instead they had opted to spend the time waiting for Jacen at Reef Fortress, only returning to the Palace that morning because Tenel Ka had been summoned back for her own emergency meeting. As she continued to laugh at Cem's stories she thought about how silly her fear now seemed, and silently thought she must thank Jacen for introducing them; she didn't remember a more pleasant time in her life.
Cem was fun and smart and relaxed, and behaved as though spending time with the monarchs of wealthy star systems was a habit of his. He didn't alter his opinions to fit hers or what he thought hers might be, in fact they had had heated debates about a good number of issues, but never did Tenel Ka sense a lack of respect for her opinion or her culture. Most interesting of all, he was a fierce competitor. They had run together, gone swimming and climbing; she had even used practice blades to teach him a little about lightsaber dueling and to her absolute shock found that he was as good, if not better than her in many of their endeavors. It was refreshing to meet a man who seemed un-intimidated by her.
Refocusing on the topic at hand she asked, "You and your brother are close?"
"Very. He is my biggest champion and my worst critic; my chief tormentor and most fierce protector. And I would die for him. In short, he is the quintessential big brother."
"You have numerous similarities, yet you are quite different."
Cem quirked an eyebrow. "You mean I'm more charming and handsome?"
"I don't believe your brother has ever looked to charm me during the times we have spent together, so I really can't say which of you is more adept."
"And they call him the 'smart Fel'."
Tenel Ka laughed again. "That must make you the 'modest Fel'."
"I'm the fifth of six children in a family of super-achievers; there was no room for modesty in my childhood. If I didn't draw attention to my merits I would have been overlooked by my parents and crushed by the older kids. And there was no way for any of us to compete with Wyn. She was born with my mother's beauty and charm and my father's will and drive. I'm sure she'll be running the Ascendancy soon. That is of course if Jag doesn't beat her to it."
Cem tipped his head and batted his eyes in what Tenel Ka assumed was an imitation of Wyn playing coy and affected a high pitched voice. "'Oh, Poppa, can I puhllleeeeeese have everything I lay my eyes on the moment I see it? And will you ignore anything I ever do that all the other kids would have been beaten for?'"
She laughed again, and noted that she seemed to do it a lot in Cem's presence, and was delighted to see the look of happiness on his face before he continued.
"You laugh, but it's true. It was hard work maintaining a healthy ego in the Fel household."
"In that respect, I think you and Jag have both been quite successful. I've never detected a lack of self confidence in him either."
"Have you detected a sense of humor? Because we've been looking for that for years."
Joy lit Tenel Ka's mind for a moment before she became thoughtful.
"So if you don't share your siblings' desire to take over the Ascendancy, what is it you crave?"
"Love."
Tenel Ka tried to ignore the tingling she felt in the pit of her stomach at Cem's direct look when he said that. "I somehow doubt you lack admirers."
He sighed. "True, but what good does it do me if the one I desire most is not among them?"
The tingling increased and then shot up her spine. It almost seemed like the Force was encouraging her to listen closely to his words. She worked to ignore it though and answered simply, "I understand."
"I am not so sure that you do."
She closed her eyes for slightly longer than a blink and willed the sensation away. Taking a steadying breath, she reminded herself that while it was flattering to hear Cem say such things, there could be nothing behind it. He would be leaving as soon as Jacen found his way back from whatever this blasted emergency was that pulled him away and it would be better for all concerned if she continued to ignore Cem's flirtatious words. After all, it was only banter, and surely he forgot them as soon as the words left his lips.
"Since your brother is not here to offer his own defense at your slander, I must say that the first period of time I spent with him was fraught with tension." She worked to keep the emotion out of her voice while she remembered that terrible week after Myrkr, when she had lost Jacen, her mother, her childhood, her freedom… "He was here in the middle of the bleakest period of my life. So if he had tried to display his humorous side, I would probably not have noticed."
Cem nodded then said, "May I ask you something about a totally different topic?"
Turning and giving him as 'queenly' a look as she could muster she replied, "You have permission to ask, but we must forewarn you; if the question does not meet with our approval, we will be forced to have you executed."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful when you talk dirty?"
"Has anyone ever told you your flirting borders on compulsive?"
Tenel Ka instantly regretted her jab when she saw the smile disappear from Cem's mouth and eyes.
"If that seems true, I apologize. I meant it as a show of appreciation, not an indication of my flaws."
Their eyes locked for a moment and Tenel Ka again felt the same flutter in her stomach and wished she could believe that there was more to his flattery than jovial humor or a passing interest. Casting about for more ways to keep grounded, she told herself that this was probably the only way Cem knew how to relate to women.
"You have not yet asked your question."
Cem looked down at his hands. "Right. I... I was wondering why, after so many years, you decided to have your arm replaced."
Tenel Ka turned away from Cem and looked at the fire for a moment and watched the flames lick the stones of the chimney.
His next words came out in a rush and for the first time since meeting him, Tenel Ka got the impression that Cem was unsure himself. "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate and none of my business." Then, clearly looking to lighten the mood again, he said. "You would be justified in having me beheaded."
Tenel Ka turned back and reached up to brush a lock of hair out of Cem's eyes and was as surprised by her gesture as he seemed to be.
"Don't be sorry… you have no reason to regret asking and if you are genuinely interested I would be happy to share my reasons."
"I didn't mean to upset you, I was just curious. You accomplished so much without it… and the accident was so long ago…"
"What has Jacen told you about that day?"
"Not much. I don't even know exactly how it happened. The subject came up one night while we were both very drunk. We had been discussing moments in our lives we would like to do over. It started out with minor things, plays we'd made in shockball games, attempts to pick up women that were less than suave, dates that had gone badly. Eventually we got to heavier topics; our last words with our siblings before they died. He told me some of what happened on the Voxyn mission between him and Anakin, and then he said that maybe his biggest regret in life was the last seconds of your duel."
She had not realized a tear had fallen down her cheek until Cem reached over and wiped it away.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought this up."
"No, it's alright. I just had no idea it still bothered him so much, and that makes my feelings of guilt more acute."
Tenel Ka sniffed and turned her body back toward Cem. She arranged the top layer of her dress, a shimmering sheer silk that matched her eyes and was clasped just below her breasts, so that it was behind and to the sides of her, then she straightened the stone grey sheath under it and pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped one arm around her legs. When she was settled and had retrieved her glass of wine from the table in front of the couch, she began to speak.
"I am an arrogant woman. I always have been. As if that personality flaw isn't bad enough on its own, I also have difficulty trusting. Probably, it is simply not in my nature, but also there was not much, or many, in my life I could trust before I went to Yavin. I tended to overcompensate by thinking I could only rely on myself and that extended to what I could accomplish physically.
"So great was my sense that I could not trust anyone or anything, I didn't allow Master Skywalker to reveal my true identity to anyone at the Academy. It wasn't until after the accident that my friends found out I was the Hapan princess and heir. I had spent a great deal of my childhood with the Witches and identified more with my mother's family than my father's and I didn't want to be treated differently than the other students, so it seemed logical to allow the others to believe that I was just a girl from Dathomir.
"We'd all been together on Yavin for over a year when the accident happened. I concluded fairly quickly afterward that it was my own arrogance that has caused it, but Jacen never saw it that way.
"I was a natural athlete, and trained very hard. I never relied on the Force for physical endeavors unless I absolutely had too, and I was still quite proficient in anything I attempted. Of course, in the end, that only served to magnify my arrogance."
Tenel Ka stopped and allowed herself to think back to those days and shook her head.
"What?"
"I was a humorless, rigid, competitive pain in the ass. I don't know how Jacen tolerated me."
"The phrase 'passionate teenage boy infatuation' comes to mind, but please, continue."
They both chuckled and Tenel Ka took a sip of her wine then went on.
"I believed that any weapon was secondary to the skills of the user and didn't take the appropriate care when building my lightsaber. I chose a faulty stone for the focusing crystal; one with fissures and imperfections. The first true strain on the blade caused refraction and then a short circuit. All I remember is that I was dueling with Jacen and one moment my blade was there and the next it was not. I honestly don't think there was anything either of us could have done.
"Apparently, I blacked out immediately after my arm was severed and a moment after my hand and pommel hit the ground, my lightsaber exploded. I'm not even sure there was anything left of my arm.
"My parents were traveling within the Consortium at the time and I had the supreme misfortune of being retrieved from Yavin by my grandmother. She tried to get me to agree to a replacement for my arm, but I refused and eventually learned to do most things on my own. I could even braid my hair using a method Anakin devised.
"I suppose I turned my missing limb, and my increased reliance on the Force, into a new manifestation of my arrogance. Before that I felt the need to prove that I didn't need the Force. After the accident, I felt the need to prove that I didn't need my arm. But after so many years, even I had to admit that simple everyday life is easier with all four limbs. So that was one reason I finally got it."
Cem was watching Tenel Ka closely and nodding his head from time to time.
"My lack of an arm drove the Hapans crazy. This is a society known for its beauty and vanity. They considered my mother ugly and made her aware of that every day of her reign. While I inherited enough of my father's looks to not send my subjects screaming, they were very put off by my severed limb," Tenel Ka chuckled, "and my insistence on wearing sleeveless gowns. I guess my continued refusal to get the replacement was a none too subtle way of punishing the people who were unkind to my mother. My way of telling them that not only was I in control, but that while I would dress the part and act the part of their queen, I still held disdain for the superficial things that mattered to them and that they were powerless to change it. But again, who was I really hurting?"
Tenel Ka sighed heavily. "And finally there was Jacen."
"You love him, don't you?"
Tenel Ka started to answer, but then stopped. She cocked her head and a slow smile spread across her face.
"Of course I do. Jacen has been my closest friend for a great many years, but it is not 'that' kind of love."
"No?"
Her eyes caressed the beautiful face in front of her. "No, Cem, I do not feel that way for Jacen."
Tenel Ka watched the light brighten in Cem's eyes at her admission and for the first time she didn't work quite so hard to banish the sensations his attention provoked. She desperately wanted to reach out and touch him with the Force. Gently probe his mind and find out if it was possible that he was feeling the same things she was. But such an invasion was inappropriate, and besides, it would only tell her what she already knew; she would continue to enjoy Cem's company for the remainder of his stay, but there would never be anything between them.
Realizing that Cem was looking at her expectantly, she continued her explanation. "Jacen means a great deal to me, and I began to realize that my arm was a constant reminder to him of an unfortunate event that was not his fault. I feared that I was unconsciously punishing him for what happened and the thought that I could be capable of such cruelty toward my best friend frightened me."
Both were silent for a long while until Tenel Ka finally said, "That very long explanation was not what you were expecting, was it?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting. But I didn't think it was possible to be any more impressed by you; and yet I am. You remind me of my brother in many ways."
"Are you trying to say that I am grim?"
Cem burst out laughing. "No, I'm trying to say that you are amazing. But then, Jacen has always told me you were."
They enjoyed another comfortable silence, both watching the fire again, until Cem broke it. "He worries about you, you know?"
"He's Jacen, that's what he does, but he has no reason. The Consortium is stable and the assassination attempts have decreased significantly in the last few years."
"You have a wonderful sense of humor."
"I can honestly say that other than Jacen, you are the first person to ever say that to me. I am usually told that I have none at all."
Cem looked down and fiddled with the wine cork that had somehow found its way into his hands. "Anyone who says that has not been treated to the company of the woman I have spent the last four days with."
Tenel Ka felt herself blush slightly and was grateful that for once Cem wasn't looking at her.
"But Jacen is more concerned about the pressure on you to find a consort than anyone trying to kill you."
"Ah, aha. You've heard of Jacen's latest obsession. Despite the time he has spent on Hapes, he knows little of the royal courting games. He bases his concern for me on the fact that he grew up amongst couples known for their deep and abiding love… the Solos, the Skywalkers, the Antilles, the Celchus. I have no possibility of finding that here."
"Do you truly believe that? Surely any Hapan man would be thrilled to have the attention of a smart, passionate, and beautiful woman."
"First off, I am not viewed as such. And second, if that's so, I've yet to meet such a Hapan man. Most are more concerned with privilege and power. I love my father, but even he was more loyal to Hapes and his comfort than he was to my mother when all was said and done."
"Then perhaps you shouldn't marry a Hapan man."
Tenel Ka looked at Cem in amazement.
"Forgive me. I should probably have kept that opinion to myself." After a pause he continued. "My mother would be appalled at my lack of decorum. I didn't mean to offend, but it pains me to think of you married to someone who does not deserve you, and as described to me, none of your nobles seem worthy."
Tenel Ka couldn't think of how to respond to what Cem had said and so she didn't. Instead she leaned back and focused on the fire.
She had moved her gaze to the ceiling and didn't notice until she'd turned back to Cem that he had leaned closer to her, or that his hand was mere centimeters from her face.
"You stated earlier that I seemed 'a light-year away'," she whispered. "I'd been thinking that it's been wonderful not being alone in my home. I will be saddened by your departure."
Cem smiled. "I'm certain Jacen will be back soon to take advantage of your hospitality and abuse your kindness by stealing soaps."
"He'd better. However, I was referring specifically to you. I don't have many friends, and the ones I do have are not on Hapes. I've enjoyed having you here and it has been a pleasure to get to know you. The way you speak to me, and treat me, is something I will miss. Very few people understand my life or my obligation to duty, and most who do assume I am nothing more than the crown I wear." Her eyes met his as she softly said, "I feel you are different."
"I am."
"Why is that?"
"I respect and admire your dedication and strength, but I also see what lies beneath that."
Tenel Ka was mesmerized by the blue eyes boring into hers. Her voice was a mere whisper when she asked, "What do you see?"
Cem lifted his hand to meet her cheek and Tenel Ka's breath caught in her throat. He used his thumb to stroke her skin gently, reverently, and replied, "I see a woman who deserves to be loved and cherished above all else." They continued to stare into each others' eyes for a long moment before Cem said, "You are so beautiful. Do you have any idea what looking at you does to me?"
Tenel Ka shook her head minutely, never losing contact with his palm. "I think… I would very much… like you to show me."
Cem leaned in the final distance and Tenel Ka felt her stomach flip when he gently kissed her. Pulling away slightly, he used his free hand to brush her hair back and leaned in again, this time leaving his mouth against hers longer.
Tenel Ka placed her hand on Cem's chest, then slowly inched it up his body, allowing it to follow the curve of his neck. She twined her fingers into his soft blonde hair and gently pulled his head closer. She was delighted when her action caused Cem to lean in still further and open his mouth to hers.
90 passion-filled minutes later...
Cem was in heaven.
The embers of desire he had been feeling since he had first laid eyes on Tenel Ka had been stoked into white hot coals. He didn't know how long he had been kissing her, touching her, he was only aware that he needed more and yet sensed that he would never be able to get enough.
He had unfasten and taken off her silvery shimmer silk over gown and had her down to the silky pewter sheath that clung to her exquisite body. He had even managed to remove the delicate lace undergarment she wore under her slip, having maneuvered its straps off her shoulders and down her arms, and thought vaguely that it was now on the floor somewhere behind them.
Tenel Ka had followed his example, undoing all the fasteners on his shirt so it hung completely open and had spent some time running her fingers tentatively over his chest and the quivering plains of his stomach. She now sat astride his lap, elbows resting on his shoulders, fingers twined in his hair, and her head was thrown back, giving him access to her neck and collarbone, which he was currently peppering with open mouthed kisses. He had one hand on the small of her back, holding her body firmly to his; the other was on her left hip, guiding her slight rhythmic motions against him and he was certain there was no sweeter sound in the universe than the soft purring coming from deep in her throat.
Cem was sure his heart was going to burst from its frantic beating; his joy and excitement were so great. He just needed to get her off the sitting room couch and into the next room, her bedchamber, where he could lay down beside her, finish undressing her, take his time discovering what he needed to do to make her body sing with pleasure, hear her cry out in bliss, and know that no handmaiden or advisor would walk in on them.
Cem brought his hand back to her jaw, holding her face so he could once again kiss her ruby lips.
Panting with exertion, he leaned his forehead into hers and took a moment to catch his breath. He moaned as she scooted on his lap, bringing her hips closer to his. He had to get them out of the sitting room before he lost all control.
"We need… to move to..."
Cem watched in horror as the very sound of his voice seemed to break the spell. Teeka's head snapped forward and her eyes lost their heavy lidded glossiness. She seemed suddenly alert and to be assessing the situation she found herself in.
She was off his lap and standing a meter away before Cem had a chance to process her reaction or stop her flight.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."
There was a slight tremor in her voice, which under any other circumstance would have thrilled Cem, but now caused his chest to tighten in fear.
"Teeka, please…"
He watched as she glanced down and registered that half her clothing was gone. Her eyes returned to his and then traveled down his body. Cem could almost see the cogs in her brain taking in his disheveled appearance and coming to the realization that she was the one responsible for his open shirt, unbuckled belt and unfastened pants. The skin on her high cheekbones tinted a rosy pink.
"I'm… I'm sorry, Cem."
Cem stood up and stepped forward, grabbing her hand. Placing it over his furiously beating heart he said, "You have nothing to apologize for. I wanted this."
Drawing her hand back she replied, "You don't understand. I can't have an affair with you."
For a moment Cem was relieved. She thought he only wanted a casual fling. When he explained what he really wanted, how he really felt about her… but that line of thought was cut short by her next words.
"I'm getting married in six weeks."
Cem felt the air rush from his lungs like a bantha had just jumped on his chest. "What?"
The word must have come out more harshly and accusatory than he had meant it to, judging from the way Tenel Ka winced at the sound.
"Who? Who are you going to marry?"
Tenel Ka straightened her back a little and looked into Cem's eyes, but then allowed her gaze to fall as she admitted, "I have not seen the list of prospects yet."
Another wave of relief washed over Cem and he realized that a lifetime of dealing with the Chiss was about to come in handy; he could out-reason the best of them. Stepping forward again, he placed his hands on her cheeks and tilted her face up. When she finally raised her eyes to meet his Cem's heart lurched at what he saw; she didn't want to marry a Hapan nobleman anymore than he wanted her to, but that didn't mean this was going to be easy.
"I'm not interested in having an affair with you, Teeka. I'm in love with you. If you must marry in six weeks then marry me."
Tenel Ka's eyes widened and Cem realized that he had been right; none of the many hints he had dropped during the time they had spent together had registered. Somehow, this Queen of Hapes had managed to remain truly innocent in affairs of the heart and was genuinely surprised by his declaration.
But her expression quickly changed to one of hopelessness and her head dropped again.
"You don't know what you are offering."
"What makes you think that? I know exactly what I am offering."
Tenel Ka simply shook her head at him.
"Alright then, tell me."
Folding her arms around herself, in what Cem recognized as a means of self soothing, she slowly turned away and walked toward the hearth and stood with her back to him.
"You would have to walk away from your family, the career you have worked so hard to build, and the only home you've ever known to live in a society where you would be looked down upon for being a man and a foreigner. You would be required to submit to me publicly and would have little say in your own day-to-day life. You would live with a woman whose duty supersedes all else and if we fail to produce an heir in what both my detractors and my supporters see as a timely fashion, my reign and our lives could be in jeopardy."
Cem remained silent for a moment, thinking. Nothing she had said surprised him. In fact, it was exactly as he had expected. "And in return… I would have you."
Tenel Ka's words were barely above a whisper, but he heard what she said, "I'm not worth that."
Anger instantly filled Cem and he didn't even try to temper it or control the volume of his voice, "How can you say that? I've just professed my love for you and offered to give up my life to be with you. Clearly, I think you are worth it."
Turning back to meet his reproach she answered, "You don't even know me. We've spent four days together… on holiday. You have no idea what my life is really like or about the choices I'm forced to make. What if you find you don't actually respect me? Or even like me? You haven't heard about the less than pleasant rulings I've had to hand down. You haven't seen what I am like angry, or sick, or tired."
Cem smiled ruefully. "True… I haven't known you for years and I'll readily admit that I cannot, without error, predict your every move or mood. This very exchange is a perfect example."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that never would I have imagined that we could go from passionately kissing and exploring one another's bodies to standing in the middle of the room screaming at each other in less than ten minutes. A speeder accident wouldn't give me a worse case of whiplash. But if you would prefer to marry some inbred idiot noble, fine. In the days and years to come, when you are lying awake at night, miserable in your loveless marriage, gazing with contempt at the man lying next to you, if he is even faithful enough to share your bed on a regular basis, remember that you made this choice. Remember that there was someone who adored you, someone willing to give up everything to endure the pressures of this life to be with you and you turned your back on him because you were more comfortable martyring yourself for Hapes than taking a chance on love."
Cem saw rage flame in her stormy eyes.
"How dare you belittle my sacrifices."
"I am not belittling the sacrifices you've made… only the one you're about to make."
"Do you think this is easy? Living for the Consortium?"
"No. I think it's really hard and you've done an admirable job so far. But you're hiding behind your title because for some reason you are afraid of the prospect of giving yourself fully to someone. You are a control freak, Teeka."
"Don't call me that." She spit out between clenched teeth.
Cem was amazed to find that the last thing she said caused him more pain than anything before. He probably couldn't have stopped himself from inflecting his next comment with the disdain he did. "I apologize, Your Majesty."
Cem flinched slightly when items around the room began to shatter, then realized that Tenel Ka was inadvertently using the Force to break things because she had completely lost control of her temper. He picked up one of the wine bottles they had finished ages ago and hurled it toward Tenel Ka, aiming for the fireplace mantel just over her shoulder. He was pleased that the sound of this shattering bottle jolted her… clearly no one had ever thrown anything at the Queen Mother of Hapes.
"Get out!" Tenel Ka screamed.
"Happily." Cem responded in kind. "Enjoy your emotional solitude. Maybe Jaina was right about you after all."
4 miserable hours later...
Tenel Ka walked slowly down the corridor of the palace followed by a compliment of Royal Guards. Stopping at the door to the suite Cem's belongings had been placed in when they had arrived the previous morning, she raised her hand slightly, signaling to the soldiers to form up around the entry.
Taking a deep breath and gathering her nerve for what she was about to do, she knocked and, receiving no answer, let herself into the anteroom, sealing the door behind her.
There was no sign of Cem in the sitting area so she slowly walked through the suite and peeked into the bedchamber. Tenel Ka saw Cem's travel bag lying open on the ottoman at the foot of the bed, and through the doors to the balcony saw him sitting on a stone bench outside. She sensed frustration and sadness coming off of him and noted the slight bend in his usually perfect posture as he watched Hapes' primary begin to peak over the horizon.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued on and, reaching the balcony, took a seat beside Cem, facing the opposite direction. She silently handed him the parchment she held in her hand, and waited while he read it, already knowing that it said that the shuttle he had requested an hour earlier was ready to take him off planet.
He folded the note and tucked it into the pocket of his trousers and raised his eyes to look back out at the view.
"Had this not come to my rooms by mistake... would you have said goodbye?"
A long moment went by before he shook his head slightly and answered, "No."
Tenel Ka looked down at her clasped hands. "How do you know you're in love with me?"
Cem still did not look at her but replied, "It's a feeling, humans often have them."
She winced at the cruelty of his remark, but also noted the pain in his voice and supposed she had earned his barb.
"I am afraid that despite all my experiences in life, I have no knowledge or familiarity with relationships. In this, I am a novice."
When Cem did not respond she reached over and took his hand and pulled it into her lap. Holding it in her own left, she tentatively traced the lines of his palm with her right index finger and was grateful that he didn't pull away.
"You have wonderful hands. I noticed that when we first met. So large and strong, and yet so gentle. It amazes me that you can wield a weapon with deadly power, control a starfighter, and yet still touch me with such tenderness."
Again they sat in silence before she went on.
"I suppose I can add stubbornness to my list of shortcomings. You were right about everything you said earlier. I was unwilling to trust and have hidden behind my position. The thought of giving someone my heart is terrifying and so I was about to allow my advisors to choose a husband I would never love and took comfort in the idea that I was doing it for the Consortium. But that's no way to live my life."
From the corner of her eye she saw Cem turn his head. He seemed to study her for a while before asking, with a harshness that made her flinch inside, "What do you want, Tenel Ka?"
She couldn't muster the courage to look up, and was slightly unnerved by the trembling in her own voice when she said, "I'd like you to call me Teeka again."
He snorted softly. "I thought you hated that."
She raised her head and looked into his crystal blue eyes. "How can I hate something that you say with such affection?"
He held her gaze and her heart lightened when she felt him begin to slowly move his thumb back and forth across her fingers.
With a slightly softer tone he asked another question. "What else do you want…Teeka?"
Buoyed by the progress she was making she replied, "I want to feel the fluttering sensation I had in my stomach when you were kissing me last night."
Cem silently stared at her for a while longer then slowly inched forward. Tenel Ka closed her eyes as he neared and felt her center leap when his lips met hers in a tender kiss.
When he pulled away slightly and rested his forehead against hers, she sighed, then heard him whisper, "What else do you want, Teeka?"
Tears were slipping down her cheeks when she said, "I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here… with me."
"Do you understand what you are asking of me?"
Tenel Ka pulled back and sniffed, but the tears continued to fall unabated. Still holding his hand with her left, she lifted her right to cup his cheek and looked into his eyes again and nodded. "Yes, Cem, I understand exactly what I am asking of you."
She watched him study her some more and an agonizingly long time passed before he said, "You need to know that out there…" Cem tilted his head, gesturing to the world beyond the balcony, their quiet sanctuary, "I will honor you and obey your rule. I will happily conduct myself as the laws and customs of the Consortium demand and work tirelessly to fulfill my duties as your Consort. But in there…" he tilted his head in the opposite direction, this time indicating the room behind them, the bedroom, "we are equals."
Tenel Ka felt her heart swell with joy and smiled. "I would have it no other way."
"Are you sure?"
"More sure than I have ever been of anything."
"Then you have no need to cry, my love. I am yours; mind, body, heart and soul."
Tenel Ka raised her arms to encircle Cem's neck and kissed him with all the passion she felt. When she could no longer continue for need of air she whispered, "Please… show me."
Cem removed his hand from her lap and slid it under her legs at her knees. He moved the other to her back, allowing his fingers to cup her ribcage just below her breast and stood up, taking her with him. Unerringly, he walked around the stone bench and into the bedchamber stopping at the edge of the bed. Tenel Ka felt him lower her down gently then he braced himself with his hands on either side of her as he leaned down and kissed her again. She moved her hands back into his hair, gently massaging his scalp as his lips caressed hers, and moaned in protest when he pulled away.
He looked into her eyes, as though he was searching for something, and like a light going on in her mind, Tenel Ka suddenly knew what he needed.
"I love you, Cem."
She was rewarded with a soft smile that just crinkled the corners of his beautiful mouth and brightened the pale blue of his eyes. "I love you too, Teeka."
Next time on Fear and Love…
Return of the Plotline...